To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require
States to establish a minimum period of 15 days for early voting prior to the
date of an election for Federal office and to ensure that no individual will be
required to wait for longer than one hour to cast a ballot at a polling place
in an election for Federal office.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the
Streamlined and Improved Methods at
Polling Locations and Early Voting Act or the
SIMPLE Voting
Act.

2.

Minimum
requirements for early voting and for reducing waiting times for voters in
federal elections

(a)

Requirements for
States

Subtitle A of title III of the Help America Vote Act of
2002 (42 U.S.C. 15481 et seq.) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating
sections 304 and 305 as sections 306 and 307; and

(2)

by inserting after
section 303 the following new sections:

304.

Early
voting

(a)

In
general

Each State shall allow individuals to vote in an election
for Federal office on each day occurring during the 15-day period which ends 2
days before the date of the election, in the same manner as voting is allowed
on such day.

(b)

Minimum early
voting requirements

Each polling place which allows voting prior
to the date of a Federal election pursuant to subsection (a) shall—

(1)

allow such voting
for not less than 10 hours on each day; and

(2)

have uniform hours
each day for which such voting occurs.

(c)

Location of
polling places near public transportation

To the greatest extent practicable, a State
shall ensure that each polling place which allows voting prior to the date of a
Federal election pursuant to subsection (a) is located within reasonable
walking distance of a stop on a public transportation route.

(d)

Standards

(1)

In
general

The Commission shall
issue standards for the administration of voting prior to the date scheduled
for a Federal election. Such standards shall include the nondiscriminatory
geographic placement of polling places at which such voting occurs.

(2)

Deviation

The
standards described in paragraph (1) shall permit States, upon providing
adequate public notice, to deviate from any requirement in the case of
unforeseen circumstances such as a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or a
change in voter turnout.

(e)

Effective
date

This section shall apply with respect to elections held on
or after January 1, 2014.

305.

Preventing
unreasonable waiting times for voters

(a)

Preventing
unreasonable waiting times

(1)

In
general

Each State shall provide a sufficient number of voting
systems, poll workers, and other election resources (including physical
resources) at a polling place used in any election for Federal office,
including a polling place at which individuals may cast ballots prior to the
date of the election, to ensure—

(A)

a fair and
equitable waiting time for all voters in the State; and

(B)

that no individual
will be required to wait longer than one hour to cast a ballot at the polling
place.

(2)

Criteria

In
determining the number of voting systems, poll workers, and other election
resources provided at a polling place for purposes of paragraph (1), the State
shall take into account the following factors:

(A)

The voting age
population.

(B)

Voter turnout in
past elections.

(C)

The number of
voters registered.

(D)

The number of
voters who have registered since the most recent Federal election.

(E)

Census data for
the population served by such voting site, such as the proportion of the
voting-age population who are under 25 years of age or who are naturalized
citizens.

(F)

The educational
levels and socio-economic factors of the population served by such voting
site.

(G)

The needs and
numbers of voters with disabilities and voters with limited English
proficiency.

(H)

The type of voting
systems used.

(I)

The length and
complexity of initiatives, referenda, and other questions on the ballot.

(J)

Such other factors
as the State considers appropriate.

(3)

Guidelines

Not
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the
Commission shall establish and publish guidelines to assist States in meeting
the requirements of this subsection.

(4)

Rule of
construction

Nothing in this subsection may be construed to
authorize a State to meet the requirements of this subsection by closing any
polling place, prohibiting an individual from entering a line at a polling
place, or refusing to permit an individual who has arrived at a polling place
prior to closing time from voting at the polling place.

(b)

Development and
implementation of contingency plans

(1)

In
general

Each State shall develop, and implement to the greatest
extent practicable, a contingency plan under which the State shall provide
additional poll workers, machines, ballots, and other equipment and supplies
(as the case may be) on the date of the election to any polling place used in
an election for Federal office, including a polling place at which individuals
may cast ballots prior to the date of the election, at which waiting times
exceed one hour.

(2)

Approval of plan
by Commission

The State shall ensure that the contingency plan
developed under paragraph (1) is approved by the Commission prior to the date
of the election involved, in accordance with such procedures as the Commission
may establish.

(c)

Effective
date

This section shall apply with respect to elections held on
or after January 1,
2014.

.

(b)

Conforming
amendment relating to enforcement

Section 401 of such Act (42
U.S.C. 15511) is amended by striking sections 301, 302, and 303
and inserting subtitle A of title III.

(c)

Clerical
amendment

The table of contents of such Act is amended—

(1)

by redesignating
the items relating to sections 304 and 305 as relating to sections 306 and 307;
and

(2)

by inserting after
the item relating to section 303 the following new items:

Sec. 304. Early voting.

Sec. 305. Preventing unreasonable waiting
times for
voters.

.

3.

No
effect on authority of state to provide for longer periods of early voting or
greater amount of resources at polling places

Nothing in this Act or in any amendment made
by this Act may be construed to prohibit a State, with respect to any election
for Federal office—

(1)

from providing (in
an equitable and nondiscriminatory manner) a longer period for early voting
than the minimum period required under section 304 of the Help America Vote Act
of 2002 (as added by section 2(a)); or

(2)

from providing (in
an equitable and nondiscriminatory manner) a greater number of systems, poll
workers, and other election resources at any polling place than the minimum
number required under section 305 of such Act (as added by section 2(a)).